Campus Notebook: Dangerous Mix-Up

A Capitol Police officer who helps protect Congressional leaders and visiting dignitaries was arrested last month for allegedly brandishing his gun during a dispute at the Hampton Inn at National Harbor.

[IMGCAP(1)]Victor Bryant has worked for the Capitol Police since 2000, most recently as a member of the Dignitary Protection Division, according to police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. DPD is a prestigious division in the Capitol Police, providing protection for House and Senate leaders on and off Capitol Hill.

Bryant has been charged with three counts of second-degree assault after he allegedly pointed his service gun at three people on the night of Aug. 14, according to court documents. Hotel employees had mistakenly double-booked the room, sparking an argument between Bryant and a family who was also assigned the room. Bryant’s girlfriend also allegedly yelled racial epithets at the family members, who are black.

Schneider said Bryant is on paid administrative leave “pending the outcome of the criminal charges.— The Capitol Police will conduct an internal investigation once that outcome is known, she said.

Greener Trucks. The House is transitioning to an environmentally friendly vehicle fleet, starting with the purchase of its first hybrid truck.

Officials use trucks to move furniture and other items on and off the Capitol grounds. When each of the vehicles “ages out,— Chief Administrative Officer Dan Beard will now replace it with a more energy-efficient option.

The new truck costs about $112,000 — or about 30 percent more than a fossil fuel vehicle, said CAO spokesman Jeff Ventura. The purchase, he said, is “an investment in the quality of the air our employees and visitors breathe.—